Ziggy is a monster add to this team. He was a big difference tonight against a team that used us last year in their playoff wins. Getting the draws obviously disrupts their possession game - and tonight led to a huge goal directly.

Shero plucked a diamond in the context of our team's deficiencies from the waiver wire. Right-handed center who is a great guy in the circle and skates hard. How does a crap team like Phoenix not have a place for him?

JoseCuervo wrote:it's not just his face-off play either. He contributes on the PK and even tonight on the PP...?

Yeah, they had him working the left side of the net on the 5 on 3, and I saw him on the second unit of a 5 on 4 as well.

It's all about his right hand shot for the cross-crease passes. They had Sykora or Satan on the right side, the other one in front of the net, and Ziggy on the left side, with Sid and Geno working the points.

The RH shot is the reason Letang was down low for most of the OT PP as well, as Crosby and Malkin were working the points for that one too, even if they only got switched up in play (they sure didn't try hard to get back to their normal positions, if this was the case).

JoseCuervo wrote:it's not just his face-off play either. He contributes on the PK and even tonight on the PP...?

He actually did pretty decent out on the power play; I figured he would've come off as soon as possible after winning the faceoffs. I wouldn't want to see them make a habit of putting him on the first unit but against puck possession teams like the Wings it's not an awful idea.

JoseCuervo wrote:it's not just his face-off play either. He contributes on the PK and even tonight on the PP...?

He actually did pretty decent out on the power play; I figured he would've come off as soon as possible after winning the faceoffs. I wouldn't want to see them make a habit of putting him on the first unit but against puck possession teams like the Wings it's not an awful idea.

I like him a lot 5 on 3. He is good enough at moving the puck and just being a body in close that he is worth having for his faceoffs.

JoseCuervo wrote:it's not just his face-off play either. He contributes on the PK and even tonight on the PP...?

He actually did pretty decent out on the power play; I figured he would've come off as soon as possible after winning the faceoffs. I wouldn't want to see them make a habit of putting him on the first unit but against puck possession teams like the Wings it's not an awful idea.

He looked fine out there on the PP. I wouldn't mind him working at it either; he's definitely earned his chance.

JoseCuervo wrote:it's not just his face-off play either. He contributes on the PK and even tonight on the PP...?

He actually did pretty decent out on the power play; I figured he would've come off as soon as possible after winning the faceoffs. I wouldn't want to see them make a habit of putting him on the first unit but against puck possession teams like the Wings it's not an awful idea.

He looked fine out there on the PP. I wouldn't mind him working at it either; he's definitely earned his chance.

As Therrien likes to reward guys for doing well when he puts them in situations like that, I'm sure he'll get at least another chance there.

I'm kind of surprised he's not stuck with a team thus far. He's obviously a 4th liner faceoff specialist, but he does all the little things and works hard, certainly a piece the Pens were missing. Glad to have him around.

Zach6668 wrote:I don't understand why everyone keeps saying we got Ziggy from the waiver... and it's not you, it's all the networks showing the games... officially, he was traded here for future considerations.

from what i understand, the future considerations are the waiver fees spent on zigomanis--IIRC

In all honesty, if Zigomanis isn't in the game last night, the Penguins don't win it. His faceoff win that ended up getting the tying goal was absolutely perfect, and if I'm not mistaken the draw was against Zetterberg so there was less than a 50-50 chance another center would have won it. Two assists as well, for those keeping track.

While Staal was the player of the game, Mantis was definitely number 2, just doing all the little things that kept the team in it.